Dramatic DDT

DDT “KING OF KINGS ~ARASHI’S JUNE SHOWDOWN~”, 29/06/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
??? Fans – Unannounced

0. Dark Match: Naomi Yoshimura & Yuki Ishida defeated Akito & Kazuma Sumi when Ishida pinned Sumi with the Flame Palm (6:46).
1. Jun Akiyama, Daichi Sato & Soma Takao defeated Toru Owashi, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada when Sato pinned Masada with the Mad Splash (8:53).
2. International Special Tag Match: Mansoor & Mason Madden defeated Danshoku Dieno & Kazuki Hirata when Madden pinned Hirata after the Danshoku Driver-Style Centrefold (8:57).
-. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Sanshiro Takagi defeated Poison Sawada JULIE (c) with the Stunner (12:08 pm).
*Sanshiro Takagi becomes the 1,749th champion.
3. Special Tag Match: MJ Paul & Ilusion defeated HARASHIMA & Kumadori when Ilusion pinned Kumadori with a Cradle (10:43).
4. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Hideki Okatani defeated MAO & KANON (w/ KIMIHIRO) and Shunma Katsumata & To-y when Sasaki submitted Katsumata with La Mistica Crossface Lock (8:39).
5. Special Tag Match: Minoru Suzuki & Yuki Ueno defeated Shinya Aoki & Yuya Koroku when Ueno pinned Koroku with a Chickenwing Arm Lock Counter (14:03).
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuki Iino & Yukio Naya defeated Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (c) when Naya pinned Abe with The World’s Best Back Drop (14:14).
*Astronauts fails in V6. The Apex become the 87th KO-D Tag Team Champions!
7. KO-D Openweight Title: Kazusada Higuchi defeated Chris Brookes (c) with the Claw Slam (20:43).
*Chris Brookes fails in V5. Kazusada Higuchi becomes the 85th KO-D Openweight Champion!

Three months after his return from injury, Kazuasada Higuchi has climbed to the top of DDT again to regain his place as the KO-D Openweight Champion! His match with Chris Brookes started with a Chop battle and quickly escalated from there. Brookes did a Piledriver onto the ring apron, a Diving Foot Stomp to the outside, an Avalanche Double Arm Suplex back into the ring and also the Somato. Higuchi kicked out of the Praying Mantis Bomb, Heabutted his way into taking control of the match and did the Claw Slam, which Brookes also kicked out of. Higuchi then powered his way out of the Octopus Hold and used Lariats as well as the Doctor Bomb to soften up the champ. Another Claw Slam (that Brookes tried to stop by pinching Higuchi’s nose) after that kept Brookes down for the count and made Higuchi the new champion!

Brookes was leaving the ring when Higuchi called for him to come back. He told Brookes he is really strong for brushing off every challenge that has come his way in order to defend the KO-D Title. Brookes wrapped the belt around Higuchi’s waist then Harimao and SCHADENFREUDE International shared cans of beer together. Higuchi talked about how it was his dream to regain the title when HARASHIMA approached the ring. He said he always admires strength which is why he always aiming to win the strongest championship in DDT. Therefore he is here to challenge Higuchi for a title match! Higuchi agreed and the match will take place at Korakuen Hall on 13th July.

A new heavyweight tag team has taken over the tag division. Yuki Iino & Yukio Naya only just recently joined forces but their combined power was too much for Astronauts to handle. The result brings an end to their KO-D Tag Team Title reign at the halfway point of reaching their goal to get the most title defences. Fuminori Abe continued to stop Iino from doing his “I Am BURNING! Yeah!” catchphrase as he’s been doing in the buildup to this match. But Iino got the last laugh by hitting him and Takuya Nomura with a Double Spear then gave another Spear to Nomura so he wouldn’t be able to stop Naya pinning Abe with The World’s Best Back Drop. However Abe was able to get one last sucker punch in to stop Iino from saying his catchphrase after the match.

Despite becoming the new KO-D Tag Champs, Naya told Iino they still have a lot to learn but at least together they will make DDT the best it can be. Iino is pleased to have safely come back from his eye injury and win his comeback match. He also revealed to everyone their tag team’s new name. Is it BURNING? No, it is The Apex! They way he announced it left the audience feeling a bit confused but Jun Akiyama & Daichi Sato walked out to quickly move on from the awkward moment so they could challenge The Apex for the titles. Akiyama even said out loud what a confusing name it is. Earlier in the show Sato directly won a DDT match for the first time today and he wants to carry on that momentum to get a title shot with Akiyama. Naya accepted but warned Sato not to get too cocky just because he won one match. The title bout will happen in Sumitomo on 27th July.

Earlier in the show Minoru Suzuki and Shinya Aoki had a contract signing segment for their DDT Universal Title match taking place on 13th July. It went ahead without any trouble although the two had a tense staredown at the end of it. Then later in the show they fought in a tag team match with Yuki Ueno on Suzuki’s team and Yuya Koroku on Aoki’s. This turned out to be a lot more dangerous with Suzuki and Aoki having a ringside brawl with chairshots being thrown. Back in the ring Koroku went for the Triangle Lancer on Ueno but Suzuki found himself getting trapped in Aoki’s Sleeper Hold. Ueno made a surprise cradle counter on Koroku to get away with the win but as this was happening, his partner Suzuki was choked out cold by Aoki! After the match Aoki got on the microphone and simply said it was an “Easy job.” He had already made his way to the back when Suzuki regained consciousness. Suzuki then immediately went on a rampage by kicking referees, attacking the wrestlers doing ringside duties and throwing furniture around the venue.

A 3 Way Tag Match featuring wrestlers from Strange Love Connection, The 37KAMIINA and DAMNATION T.A was always going to get out of control. To-y wanted to show how crazy he is but Daisuke Sasaki hit him in the back with a chair. To-y tried to get revenge with a Diving Body Press but Sasaki blocked it with his knees. MAO & KANON worked over Hideki Okatani with double team moves until Shunma Katsumata stunned MAO with a Thrust Kick. MAO fired back with the Michinoku Driver II but Sasaki broke the pin and then put Katsumata in La Mistica Crossface Lock to make him tap out.

Other members of DAMNATION T.A played spoiler for Kumadori’s return to DDT. Ilusion in particular wanted to make an example of the O-MENZ dancer because he got served when it comes to dance moves. HARASHIMA came to Kumadori’s aid by hitting Ilusion with a Standing Somato and then went to hold MJ Paul back. But Ilusion found the referee’s blind spot to give Kumadori a Low Blow and get away with cradling him for the three count. Ilusion made fun of Kumadori afterwards, calling him a weak baby who should go back to his mom’s bed instead of being in the ring. Kumdaori demanded a singles match with Ilusion and he is going to get it at Shinjuku FACE on 16th July.

Perhaps MxM Collection are an even better fit in DDT than I thought. They made their entrance to “Death By Glamour” from Undertale and did their own little dance along with their chic poses. They weren’t going to beat Danshoku Dieno & Kazuki Hirata in a popularity contest though, if only because Dieno brought his pet dog Haku down to the ring. Once the match actually began Mansoor quickly found out how much of a pervert Dieno is. MxM did some of their own Danshoku moves to Hirata but that only made Dieno want to take Hirata’s place. It fired him up enough to get the hot tag just so nothing could stop him from getting a piece of Mason Madden. But when Madden grabbed him for a Choke Slam, Dieno successfully pleaded him not to do it because Haku was watching from the corner. When Mason bowed to Haku in apology Dieno knocked him out of the ring, attached the handle to Haku’s dog collar around his neck and made Haku walk forward to strangle him. Mansoor then tried to take Haku and bring him up to the top rope when Hirata stopped him. Dieno stripped off his main tights and tried to do Danshoku things to MxM when Madden escaped and hit a Double Spear to Dieno & Hirata. Madden then put Dieno’s tights on himself and with Mansoor gave Hirata the Centrefold (elevated double team Pedigree) to get the win.

Sato’s first DDT win was almost overshadowed by Soma Takao attacking Bunbun with an unwarranted Leg Drop during the match. Toru Owashi used a little bit of lucha to deal with him and Sato while Antonio Honda prepared Gongitsune. Things almost got passionate between Sato and Takeshi Masada but Akiyama was there to give Masada the Exploder Suplex. Sato then scored his first win by hitting the Mad Splash from the top rope.

Naomi Yoshimura’s limited schedule has put him in the dark match for today’s show. He and Yuki Ishida kicked off what became a good day for Harimao by beating Akito & Kazuma Sumi. Akito targeted Yoshimura’s massive legs to slow him down but couldn’t count on Sumi to finish Ishida. Instead Ishida gave him a Back Drop followed by the Flame Palm for the victory.

To celebrate the 25 years of the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title its creator and current champion Poison Sawada JULIE went and created a brand new belt to replace the first generation prize that has become badly worn down. Sawada explained it was originally created so he could fight Sanshiro Takagi 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However many, many different things got in their way resulting in so many wrestlers, oridnary people, animals and inanimate objects to become champions over the last 25 years. Hisaya Imabayashi presented the 2nd generation belt to Sawada who started laughing because nobody will ever be able to take it off him! Then Takagi ran into the ring, gave Sawada the Stunner and pinned him to win the title. Backstage Takagi said he hopes the new belt will make new history for the championship. He also told fans to keep an eye on its movements because it will also show up in Super Japan as well as DDT.

It was announced that Zack Sabre Jr. will compete at “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2025 – DAY 1” being held in Higashin Arena Main Arena on 30th August. This news came out hours before Sabre won back the IWGP World Heavyweight Title at today’s New Japan show.